Should I feel guilty buying online and not local?

[Darkness]

I don't care if the price is higher I buy local! I am busy if I need something I tell the LHBS guys and they get it coming. From false bottoms to souring agents to demijohns, I want it they get it, I buy local cause I don't want to spend time waiting on and making sure the crap I order comes in.

When you want advice can you call that web site and get someone to talk to? My LHBS owner has let me pick up stuff on Sun the only day they are closed. I know some stuff is cheaper online but the mail doesn't run on Sunday and late Sat if I need something. I have even payed for stuff and had it stashed out side for me to come get after they closed. NO WEB SITE CAN OFFER THAT!!!!!!
I buy local and that's me. I like no love my LHBS and will always use them. Sorry you all don't have a store like I do but look them up thehomebrewery.com or give them a call 1-800-321-2739.
Happy brewing to all no matter where you get your supplies alls that matters is we make Beer!!

 

[TimpanogosSlim]

You should be glad that you only have to worry about whether to buy local.

There are three LHBS out here and one of them - the one that has been open since the 80's - is struggling to survive.

So when i buy online, I'm not just not buying locally, I'm not buying from a guy who is fighting to keep his door open and pulling money out of his retirement fund to pay the bills.

 

[Cellarbrau]

That internal struggle is your concience speaking. If your store was price gouging or providing poor service you wouldn't go back and you wouldn't think twice about it. You are just trying to justify being cheap.

 

[MisterTipsy]

Yes, you should feel guilty, but buy online anyway!

Learn to live with the guilt as opposed to flushing your money down the toilet at the LHBS.

 

[Rbeckett]

I try to buy locally whenever possible. I offer the LHBS an oportunity to meet or match a web price and give consideration to freight and wait times so that it is a fair comparison. Some things are just cheaper on the web, no way around it, but once you add freight and count the time it takes to arrive how much did you really save? So buy local when you can and order off the web when you must. It's a fine sword and the LHBS needs to survive so be a little flexible when you can. Like a 50 pound sack of grain is 50 buck plus freight and that is around 22 bucks so 75 per 50 Lbs web or 90 and get it right now and get it crushed when you want to use it. Some things are just hard to quantify, but keep an eye on the bigger pic and it will work out like it is supposed to.
Bob

 

[duckredbeard]

I have three local shops to choose from in Atlanta. After seeing grain storage conditions at all three, I have my favorite. It doesn't hurt that their mill has contributed to my recent >85% efficiencies. Morebeer.com's mill never got me over 75. Just sayin. When you buy milled grain online, you can't be sure of the mill or storage conditions.

Anyone can look at Crosby&Baker's or LD Carson's online catalog. If I see something I need, I call the LHBS and give them the info and they can add it to their weekly order. Both C&B and LDC have distribution in ATL, so stuff can be gotten as faster than some online shops.

For unusual hardware items, I still go to Morebeer.com, StainlessBrewing.com, or others.

 

[Peppers16]

I don't really get sentimental about business. If your local can't compete with online prices then sadly that's just capitalism/progress.
The only time I tend to consider local over online is if I take up a lot of a salesman's time and he genuinely helps me out. Then I kind of owe them some profit.

That said, part of me envies you US folks for having LHBSes to even consider. Here in the UK LHBSs are very sparse indeed following following a decline in the hobby around the 80s. Short of driving 10 miles out I don't really have an option but to order online :-S

 

[theblaster]

Williams is my virtual LHBS. their selection is great. Prices are reasonable. And for $7 they ship overnight including Saturday delivery. Living just south of SF, there is a tiny shop on the far end of the city and a more beer in Los altos. Both are about 40 min away. Both are hit and miss with customer help (sometimes great, sometimes knuckleheads, both locations). I use them for CO2 and pick up a few bucks in other stuff when there, but for selection, convenience and price, I prefer Williams.

 

[FATC1TY]

I have a homebrew shop that is like 25-30 minutes from the house. I go monthly. The guy loves his business, and his customer base. He's willing to help do anything from cut your kettles if you need help, cut dip tubes, show you how to do something in your process. Loan out equipment if you need it... You name it.

His prices.. surprisingly, aren't much more than online, and in some cases, are MUCH lower than online. Like hops, and fresh grains.. His yeasts are so fresh I've had some that were less than 5 days old.

So yeah, I enjoy buying local, not only because he recognizes you, and asks how your batches are going, but it willing to help, but also because the prices are good. I bought some keg stuff online because I could get a bit more for my money, but past that, I've never bought anything online for brewing.

 

[Darkness]

Here is the best LHBS www.homebrewery.com call them ther extract kits are great and call 1800-321-brew. The staf is great helpful and have never had any thing they won't get me. Look them up if yours still sucks

 

[Sir Humpsalot]

I have used three LHBSs. They were all great. I only have a motorcycle right now (with large sidecases), so purchases larger than 20lbs of DME are either online, or bargains with friends (get that malt to my doorstep and there's a growler of beer in it for you). That has been my "shipping cost" for awhile now.

You have to take personal differences into account too. Some shop owners don't want to harangue their customers. Others are very hands on. Some will eagerly offer suggestions while others will simply say, "Yes sir" if you don't explicitly ask for their assistance or input. It's all fine by me. To get the best service though, you need to be a little proactive and poke and prod a bit to find out how each LHBS operates and what the owner's vision is.

I do buy quite a bit online. Always have. But on things like 2-row, an LHBS ought to be able to smoke the prices of online stores. Shipping kills the savings. So maybe they are missing out on a few ounces of hops or the BK... But they can easily pocket $20+ on a sack of grain just by leveraging their shipping advantage. All they have to do is take it inside the store, grab a sharpie and write "Hold For Sir Humspalot". Twenty bucks profit for that? Not bad business... Especially if you get a few dozen guys like me who would run through a sack every month or so. And there will always be the last-minute brew day emergencies. Lets face it. On the common brew day necessities, we won't flinch at a 100% markup on little stuff when we need to brew TODAY. And I don't see that as gouging. It's just a convenience fee. Compare it to overnight shipping.

 

[mike20793]

Lucky for me, my LHBS is Rebel Brewer. I can place the order online and then drive over and pick it up or go in and get advice/tips and get whatever I need. I love them because they are super knowledgeable, super cheap, and their grain selection is unmatched.

 

[Gregwarro]

I would say I am bout 50/50/ I get grain and hops/yeast and this and that's from the LHBS and most of my equipment online. I did buy some of my equipment locally as well.

Here is my thing, this is a great hobby and had the LHBS shop not been there I might still not be doing it today. It was something that I wanted to try, but I had said that for years. Then on day a friend of mine was heading down to the LHBS to get some mead making supplies (for his first batch) I decided to tag along. Nearly two years later I am doing All grain and loving every minute of it. Had that LHBS not been there I would probably not be writing this right now.

 

[JasonToews]

I buy hops online by the pound for 14-18 dollars a pound, a local homebrew company can get me 50-55 lb sacks of base malt and some specialty malt for $35 a sack. The nearest homebrew "store" charges around 50-60 for the same sack of malt. So no i don't feel guilty.

 

[CBR250]

There are a lot of good opinions here. 1. I am happy I am about 2miles away from the store. 2. Like I said the info I get for the most part is on the net so I don't go soak them for info and then buy online. 3. I think for the small stuff it justifies the prices. Big orders go to the big online guys. 4. I really do appreciate all the input.

 

[DPBISME]

Last comment from me....

Hey: if you like the owner of your LHBS... you are helping out someone you know... so what if at the end of the year it cost you $50 bucks. You have helped a small business owner live their dream of being self sufficient...

BUT if the guy is a P%$*K! buy on line or from someone you like.

DPB

 

[swackattack]

As a local business owner I buy local.

Just some food for thought, got this stat from my local bni/chamber meeting.

If you purchase something, on average this % is what gets invested locally:

Small business-67%
National retailer-20%
Online retailer-7%

I want my community to actually have a business district and have a place to buy supplies at. Even if its a couple bucks more as that business owner may purchase something from me, i dont stand a chance at getting northern brewer or amazons business.

 

[pm5k00]

I buy bulk hops and some equipment online, but all my grain, yeast, and 3oz or less of hops are bought at my LHBS, and kegging stuff too.

 

[Stauffbier]

My LHBS has fair prices, and I try to support them. The main problem I have with them is that they don't carry enough variety for my needs. They're actually a bottle shop that decided to start selling some homebrewing stuff, but they stock a very limited supply. I'll buy from them when I can, but more often I have to order online to get the things I want.

 

[HopSpunge]

I usually buy from lhbs. However, I may start having sacks delivered to my door step instead from now on. The lhbs near me in buffalo is around 63.00 a sack. I don't mind donating a little, but a 50% mark up is a little extreme.....

 

[cdeme123]

Great points all around. I actually enjoy going to my LHBS. I get lots of great advice, enjoy talking about local craft beer and homebrew events with the guys who work there. I even bring in a few bottles of my finished beer to share with the guys and any customers who might be interested in giving it a taste. Feedback is encouraged.

I do buy online sometimes but a trip to the "brewshop" is always a great break in the routine and has become part of my brewing process.

 

[mikescooling]

I don't mind spending the extra cash at the LHBS (20 or 40 bucks). They know when I am brewing with friends and on some big orders ($250+) they will take 10% off. All the people who work there are cool, and helpfull. They have fresh good coffee and like to talk beer. In my travles, if I see a HBS, I go in, some are "maw and paw" that had so little stock it was not funny. Price for a lb of 2row was 2.75, If that was my LHBS i would order everything online.

 

[Slyko]

Here's my 2 cents.

YOU take care of YOU. Let the other guy take care of himself. You don't have to feel guilty about that.......................... ever. If the owner of the LHBS acted upon that simple idea, putting my needs 1st, I wouldn't go anywhere else.

I have 3 LHBS in my area. The ONLY reason I go to ANY of them is the customer service. nestar:

After brewing now for 9 months I've found. YOU guys on HBT blow doors around everybody. The knowledge I find here on HBT far surpasses everything I've experienced in the shop. I've joined a club for the camaraderie & support, but HBT has much more information & experience than these guys who profess to be gurus.

YOU guys ROCK!

 

[rifraf]

The first two local shops I went to were ok. More expensive than online and service was just ok. Imo the service is why I would shop local in the first place so I did most of my buying online.

Just recently a new shop opened and the owner is amazing. Super helpful, awesome service, and willing to go above and beyond. He's a little more expensive, but I don't mind paying extra as right now I can afford to and I've learned a lot. Same reason I bought a premium membership here. His equipment is a bit too expensive, so that I buy online, and I buy bulk DME through him. However my savings are basically reinvested right into his shop because my savings just mean I can brew more!

 

[McGarnigle]

In case this hasn't been mentioned in six pages, I think every online place is someone else's LHBS. Your LHBS may very well sell online.

If I only by from my LHBS, I'm hurting your LHBS.

 

[b-boy]

I buy a lot online, but I do go local for smaller purchases. The place I go to is good, but a little pricey.

My biggest problem is the hours. The place is open 10-5 T-F, closed Sunday and Monday, and has very limited hours on Saturday. I generally brew on Sundays, so getting any last minute items can be a problem. I try to go during my lunch hours, but getting there and back within an hour is pushing it.

 

[cdeme123]

In case this hasn't been mentioned in six pages, I think every online place is someone else's LHBS. Your LHBS may very well sell online.

If I only by from my LHBS, I'm hurting your LHBS.

Great point. My online shop is your LHBS. Love it.

 

[CBR250]

Okay, I kid you not. I plan a brew day tomorrow so I go to my HB store and ask about adding Chinook hops to my Cascade to bitter up my beer. So what does she do? She gets online and goes to HBT and searches my question. I tell her I am a member and she goes to a thread I had already seen. Yes, she is the owner and I like her as a person but she is pretty clueless in general. In her defense, she mostly makes wine, but she has quite a bit of beer stuff and not much knowledge. My 1 oz of Chinook cost 1.95 and my Safale us 05 3.99. Just thought it would fit in this thread. Oh if the pic comes through this is how I transport my hops!

 

[KeythL]

My conundrum is my LHBS is 1.5 miles from my house and my On-line Supplier is 5 miles from my house (and allows local pickup). There's also another LHBS 20 minutes away...I try to give em all patronage (getting kind of expensive, and what the heck am I supposed to do with all this beer ).

Keyth

 

[CBR250]

My conundrum is my LHBS is 1.5 miles from my house and my On-line Supplier is 5 miles from my house (and allows local pickup). There's also another LHBS 20 minutes away...I try to give em all patronage (getting kind of expensive, and what the heck am I supposed to do with all this beer ).

Keyth

Total loaded question you know! Let me answer for everyone. SEND IT TO ME!!!